Distributor look



May 30, 1933. E. R. MAYLAND ET AL DISTRIBUTOR LOCK Filed July 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M y 30, 1933- E. R. MAYLAND E1 AL 1,911,704

DISTRIBUTOR LOCK Filed July 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 39, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT QF C v EMIL R. MAY-LAND AND BENJAMIN L. JONES, F HUTCHILTSON, KANSAS DISTRIBUTOR LOCK Application filed July 26, 1932. Serial No. 624,826. r

This invention relates to a means for looking the distributor housing and shaft against unauthorized withdrawal or removal from the engine. V

An object of this invention is to provide a means which may be connected to the ignition switch or the like for operation thereby to lock the distributor housing and shaft when the ignition key is turned to shut off the ignition of the engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disconnectible coupling means by means of which the distributor shaft is disconnected from operation by the engine and at the same time, the distributor housing is locked against removal from the engine block. 2

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic releasing means so that when the disconneot-ible connecting means is coupled with the distributor shaft sections, the distributor housing will be automatically unlocked from the engine block.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same be ing illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein r V Figure 1 is a vertical section partly in detail and partly in diagrammatic form of a device constructed according to the preferred embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially through the center of the device showing the device in released position.

Figure 3 is afragmentary vertical section similar to Figure 2 but showing the device in locked position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. r

- Figure 5 isfa detail perspective view of the clutch member.

Figure 6is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of the lower portion of the distributor shaft. r Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the 1 line 77 of'Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter B designates generally an engine block or distributor supporting means which has mounted therein a distributor shaft C0111: prising a lower section 105 andan upper disconnectible sect-ion 11. The shaft comprising the sections 10 and 11 is rotatably mounted in a distributor housing 12]which has a reduced lower end portion 13 rotatably mounted in the block or support B, This distributor housing 12 is of conventional construction and may be of any desired size and configuration to meet the needs of the ,engine to which this housing is operatively connected.

For purposes of convenience, the distributor points and other elements mounted in the upper portion of the housing 12 have been eliminated but it will be understood that any. conventional contact means may be carried by thehousing 12 and the upper end of the shaft 11.

A clutch member, generally designated as 14, is slidably mounted on an angular stud or shaft portion 15 formed with the upper shaft section 11, and this clutch memberfis provided with an annular groove 16, thepurpose for which will be hereinafter described. 39 The lower portion of the clutch member 14 has a tapering socket 17 which tapers transversely of the length of the stud 15 and this socket is adapted to engage a tapering stud or leg 18 carried by the upper endof the lower shaft section 10'. By providing the socket 17 and the stud 18, as shown, it will be, impossible to change the relative circumferential position of the upper shaft section 11 relative to the lower shaft section 10 so, that the correct timing of the spark of the engine will not be disturbed when the clutch 14 is shifted into clutching position.

In order to shift the clutch 14:, we have provided a forked member 19 which loosely engages in the annular groove 16 and this forked member 19 is provided with an arm 20 connected to a slidable rod 21 which slides in a vertically disposed passage 22 provided in the housing 12 in a position parallel with the axis of the shaft sections and 11. A rock lever 23 is pivoted to a supporting post or member 24 carried by the housing 12 and one end of this rock lever 23 engages in a slot 25 provided adjacent the upper end of the clutch operating rod 21.

The opposite end of the rock lever 23 has pivotally connected thereto a coupling member 26 carried by one end of a relatively flexible rod or wire 27 which is slidably mounted in a sheave or tubular member 28. The other end of the lever operating member 27 is operatively connected to the ignition switch which is herein designated as 29 and shown in diagrammatic form. It is, of course, understood that any suitable couplingmeans may be'used for connecting .this other end of-the lever operating member 27 with the switch 29.

Aboxing 30 is carried by'one side of the housing 12 and encloses the rock lever 23. A threaded plug 31 engages the top of the housing 30 and the rod 29 is slidable through'this plug 27, A second plug 32 is threaded into the lower portion of the housing 30 and this plug 32 2 provides means whereby V entrance may behad intothe interior of the housing 30 so as to connect or disconnect the lever 30 with the rod 27. The housing 12 is provided with a'slot 33 within which the lever 23 is slidably mounted. The upper shaft section 11 is provided with an annular groove 34 at a point above the reduced angular lower end portion 15 and a pair of set screws 35 are threaded through the housing 12 and loosely engage in this groove 34 so as to prevent withdrawal of the upper shaft section 11 from the housing 12. v 1

In order to automatically lock the housing 12 in the block or support B when the clutch member 14 is moved into declutching position, we have provided a pair of rock levers or pawls 36 which are mounted in slots 37 provided in the lower end portion 13 of the housing 12 and are mounted on pivots 38.

Awasher or slide member 39 is slidably mounted on the square shank or lower end portion 15 of the shaft 11 and a spring 40 engages at one end against this washer 39 and the other end of the spring engages against the lower end of the enlarged portion of the shaft 11. The block or support B is providedwith a chamber or annular groove 41 within which the outer-ends of the locking member 36 are adapted to be loosely mounted as more clearly shown in Figure 3. When the locking members or levers 36 are rocked by the clutch member '14, as shown in Figure 3, the outer ends thereof will project into the groove 41 and prevent withdrawal of the housing '12. Inasmuch as the upper shaft section 11 is lockedto the housing 12 against longitudinal movement by means of the set screws 35 but. is permitted to have rotary movement, the upper shaft section 11 cannot be withdrawn from the housing 12. A lubrieating cup or element 42 is mounted in the housing 12 so that the lubricant contained thereby will enter the interior of the housing 12 and properly lubricate the shaft sections 11 and 10 together with the slide 39 and the clutch member 14.

In the use and operation of this device, one end of the clutch operating member 27 is connected to the ignition switch 29 so that it will move toward the distributor on turning oil of the ignition switch and bedrawn toward the ignition switch on turning the ignition switch into operative position. Movement of the operating member 27 inwardly of the housing 30 will rock the lever 23 so that the end thereof engaged in the slot 25 will rock upwardly and carry therewith the clutch operating member comprising therod 21, the arm 20 and the fork 19. 5

Movement of the clutch 14 upwardlylinto released position will cause the upper end of the clutch member 14 to strike the inner ends of the locking dogs 36 and rock these dogs against the tension of the spring 40 so as to swing the outer end thereof into the groove 41. In this position, the distributor housing 14 together with the upper shaft section 11 can be rotated relative to the support or block B but cannot be withdrawn or removedfrom this supporting member B. Y

,lVhen it'is desired to couple the upper shaft section 11 with the lower shaft section 10, the ignition switch is turned on, thereby lowering the clutch operating member so that the shank or stud 18 of the lower shaft section '10 will be engaged in the socket 17 of the clutch 14. Due to the configuration of this socket 17 and the configuration of the stud or shank 18, the upper shaft section 11 can only be coupled with the lower shaft section 10 when the timing of the distributor is correct so that the timing, of the distributor will not be disturbed by uncoupling or coupling the upper shaft section 11 with .the lower shaft section 10. \Vhen the clutch 14 is lowered into cou-' pling position with the lower shaft 10, the spring 40 will automatically rock the inner ends of the locking members 36 downwardly and cause the outer ends thereof'to rock upwardly into a position to permit the free rotation of the housing 12 and, if desired, to permit the housing 12 to be removed from the support B. I

' In practice, the starter for the engine is operated after the ignition switch has been turned on and the starter will, of course, rotate the engine crank shaft through the memher to which the starter is connected and thereby rotate thelower shaft section 10 so that it will rotate into a position registering with the clutch 14, thereby permitting the spring 40 to lower the clutch 14 in addition to swinging the locking members 36 into released position.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifica- -tions being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is 1. A distributor lock comprising in combination with an engine block, a distributor housing rotatably carried by the block, a pair of distributor shaft sections rotatably mounted within the housing, disconnectible coupling" means for said shaft sections, remotely controlled operating means for said coupling means, a pair of rock levers carried by the housing and interposed in the path of the coupling means, said engine block having a passage to receive a portion of the rock levers on movement thereof in one direction, and spring pressed means carried by one of the shaft sections and engaging the rock levers to automatically swing the levers into released position on movement of the coupling means into coupling position.

2. A distributor lock comprising in combination with an engine block, a distributor housing, a pair of shaft sect-ions rotatable in the housing, disconnectible coupling means for said shaft sections, remotely controlled operating means for said coupling means, one of said shaft sections having an annular groove therein, means carried by the housing and engaging in the groove to prevent withdrawal of said one shaft section from the housing, and locking means carried by the housing and engageable with the engine block upon shifting of the coupling means into disconnected position to prevent withdrawal of the housing from the block, and spring pressed means carried by said one shaft section and engaging the locking means to automatically swing the locking means into released position coactive with the shifting of the coupling means into coupling position.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

EMIL R. MAYLAND. BENJAMIN L. JONES. 

